MELBOURNE.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVI, Issue 1673, 4 October 1861, Page 5

MELBOURNE.

The following are the latest telegrams, extracted from the Sydney papers :— Monday, 23rd Sept., 8 p.m. This city is still thronged with miners. Four large ships have been placed on the berth, with every prospect of filling. The Wonga Wonga (s.) sails to-raovrow full. The return of the Oraeo (8.), is looked for more anxiously than the mail. Sad five at North Melbourne,^ which three childreu were lost during the absence of their parents. The telegrams from Sydney of the Lord Worsley's arrival, although only three days lateifrom Otago, have added greatly to the rush. Passages are raised {to £9. The excitement at , Ballaarat is amounting to a fever. J The steamer Ouaeo has arrived from Otago, j bringing news to the 11th September, and J 6900 ouuces of gold, being the greater portion j of the gold that had arrired at Dunediu, on the 3rd instant. The news by the Omeo has considerably damped the rush to Otago. Thursday, 9 p.m. Trade dull ; sugars sold at full prices. . Flour about £1 lower. The Alcyon, from California, brings 10,000 sacks of wheat. Friday, 8-20 p.m. The debfUe on the Occupation Licenses is likely to be closed to-night. The division will be close, and will probably give the Ministers a majority of three. A Bill passed the Assembly providing for the j re-shipment of New Zealand gold free. Markets dull- Flour scarce. Otago rush still going on. LAMBING FLAT. Wednesday, 7 a.m. The aitillery and the greater part of the 12tU leave here for Sydney to day— a detachment of the 12th, consisting of fifty men, under the command of Captain Wilkie, remaining here. Many still leaving here for New Zealand. Further news looked anxiously for.

• • (To the Editor oj the Wellington independent) N . ■ Wellington, Oct* 3, 1§61. -. •i ; Sib,— ln a paragraph, in your issue of the lat mat., under the head of " Steamer Bace," I notvco a miatatement which I trust you will allow me to correct; also to make a few remarks and state some facts concerning the so called race. ' ■ In the first place, I beg to deny distinctly, that in leaving this port on the evening of the 27th ult. in company with the Storm Bird, the Wonga raced at her utmost speed : or that there was any risk incurred, which is evident from the fact that at no time during the so called race, did the pressure of the steam employed on board of the Wonga exceed Blbs. to the inch, the usual amount used under ordinary circumstances while making a passage often exceeding lOlbs. - And further, when it is known that the Wonga a boilers have been tested up to 30 lbs., and that the safety valve h o% loaded to the extent of 16 lbs, allowing the steam tol escape before any undue pressure can be brought to bear on it, it must be plain to every one that not the slightest risk can be incurred without gross neglect on the part of those in charge. Without wishing to attribute to you the least intention of taxing either the Engineer or me with ' reckless conduct, I have deemed it my duty to my employers and myself to make the above statements and remarks, so that the public may be disabused of any opinion detrimental to those concerned, that may have been engendered by the paragraph to which I have alluded. . Trusting that in justice you will insert this at . your earliest convenience. Your*a respectfully, ' Fbed. Rbnner, Master s;s. Wonga Wongo; .